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Shallot Pastry
Shallot and Olive Pastries

veal with shallots
Veal with Crisp Shallots
and Prosciutto

feta cakes
Potato and Feta Cakes

braised endive
Braised Endive

Menu Plan for the week of March 15, 2013:  Saturday's Recipes

Shallot and Olive Pastries
Veal Cutlets with Crisp Shallots and Prosciutto
Potato and Feta Cakes
Braised Endive

Cooking time:  45 minutes for menu     Cooking schedule: see below for instructions

       Make the pastries and boil the potatoes first.  While the pastries bake, prepare everything else; while you eat the pastries everything else finishes.... Easy

Shallot and Olive Pastries                                Preparation and cooking time:   45 minutes
    Spicy, sautéed shallots, salty olives and creamy ricotta fill these tender pastries.

4 large shallots
1 tbs Worcestershire
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 tbs oil
6 - 10 green, pimento-stuffed olives
1/4 cup ricotta
puff pastry

Thaw the puff pastry, if needed. 
Slice shallots.  Heat oil, chili powder in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add shallots and sauté until tender, about 7 minutes.  Add Worcestershire and sauté 5 minutes longer, cooking off liquid.  
Slice olives.
Lay out puff pastry and cut two 5 inch squares (12cm).     Lay the cut pastry on a baking sheet. With a table knife, score a line around opposite corner edges of each pastry, about 1/3" (1cm) from the edge and halfway down the opposite sides. 
Divide the ricotta and spread down the middle, between the scored corners, covering the middle 'half' of the pastry.  Divide the shallots  and spoon onto the ricotta.  Top with sliced olives.  Bring the un-scored corners together over the olives and press tips together firmly to seal. 
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 400F (200C) for 12 - 15 minutes, until golden brown.  Remove and serve.  Garnish with extra olives

Veal with Crisp Shallots and Prosciutto         Preparation and cooking time:  30 minutes
         
The tender veal scallops cook quickly and are finished with a light white wine sauce and topped with crisp shallots and Prosciutto.  Turkey scallops can be substituted for the veal. 

12oz (350gr) veal cutlets, thinly sliced
3 shallots
2 slices prosciutto
1/2 cup (4oz, 125ml) white wine
1/4 cup (2oz, 60ml) chicken stock
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp cornstarch (maizena, corn flour) dissolved in 1 tbs water

Peel and thinly slice shallots.  Cut Prosciutto into thin strips.  Heat oil in skillet, add shallots, and sauté until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add Prosciutto strips and sauté until shallots and Prosciutto are brown and crisp, about 10 minutes longer.  Remove and set aside.
Add veal and quickly brown on both sides, about 1 1/2 minutes each.  Add white wine, chicken stock, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.  Dissolve cornstarch in water.  Increase under skillet.  Remove veal to a small platter.  Add cornstarch to skillet and stir until thickened.  Spoon sauce over veal, top with shallots and Prosciutto and serve. 

Potato and Feta Cakes                                 Preparation and cooking time:  40 minutes
   I like Potato Cakes well enough that I don't always wait for leftover mashed potatoes to make them. The potatoes only take about 12 minutes to cook, and they are a bit drier than traditional mashed, letting the cakes stay together well, even with the feta. 

2 medium potatoes, (12oz, 350gr)
3oz (90gr) feta cheese
2 tbs dried chives
1 egg
2 tsp milk   substitute 1 tsp chicken stock or water
1 tbs olive oil

Peel the potatoes cut into chunks.  Cook in rapidly boiling water until very tender, 12 - 15 minutes.  Drain the potatoes and mash with a fork or potato masher.  Spread the mashed potatoes on a plate to cool for 5 minutes. 
Cut or crumble feta into small pieces (pea size). In medium bowl whisk egg, milk and chives.  Add potatoes and mix well.  Stir in feta.  Divide into 4 equal portions.  Heat oil in large nonstick skillet.  Add potato portions, forming into patties in the skillet, about 1/2" (1.25cm) thick.  Fry until brown on one side, about 7 minutes. Turn and brown the other side.  Remove and serve.  

Braised Endive                                                        Preparation and cooking time:  35 minutes
     The braised endive is finished with a dash of white Balsamic vinegar, a bit of cheese and a sprinkle of olives. 

2 medium endive
1 cup (8oz, 240ml) chicken stock
2 tbs white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup Greek olives
1/3 cup cheese, shredded
1 tsp paprika
sea salt

Rinse endive and remove 2 or 3 outer leaves as needed.  Trim the stem end.  Cut each endive in half the long way through the stem.  Lay in a skillet large enough to hold them flat, in one layer.  Add chicken stock, cover and simmer until the stem end is tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes. 
Pit olives, if needed and roughly chop. Shred cheese if needed. Pour off all or most of the chicken stock.  Sprinkle the vinegar over the endive; top with cheese and cover until cheese melts.  Remove Endive to a plate, top with olives, paprika, salt and serve.

Cooking Schedule: 45 minutes for menu
Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes
Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives,
small saucepan with lid, 3 large skillets with lids,
baking sheet, potato masher, plate, bowl, whisk

Thaw pastry if needed
Turn oven on, 400F (200C)
Peel potatoes, cut into chunks, cook
Peel, slice all shallots
Sauté shallots, chili powder for pastries
Sauté shallots for veal
Slice Prosciutto
Cut, score pastry
Spread ricotta on pastry
Add Worcestershire to shallots for pastry, sauté
Add Prosciutto to shallots for veal, sauté
Slice green olives
Pit, chop black olives
Shred cheese
Trim, cut endive
Assemble pasties, bake
Drain potatoes, mash
Spread potatoes on plate to cool

Lay endive in skillet used for shallots for pastry
Add stock to endive, cover, braise
Crumble feta
Whisk egg, milk, chives
Add potatoes, stir
Add feta, stir
Remove shallots, Prosciutto, set aside
Brown veal
Divide potatoes, add to skillet, forming patties, sauté
Turn veal
Remove pastries
Add stock, wine to veal, cover, simmer
Turn heat to low under potatoes
Serve pastries     Check potatoes half through pastries
Done?
Turn potatoes, increase heat
Dissolve cornstarch in water
Drain endive, add vinegar, cheese, cover
Remove veal, thicken sauce
Spoon sauce over veal, top with shallots, Prosciutto
Remove endive, add olives, paprika, salt
Remove Potato Cakes
Serve

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